Durga Puja 2015

Durga Puja - our annual grand event for which we wait all year round is here again. The sound of shaankh, smell of dhuno and shuffling of saris brings back sweet reminiscenses of Durgotsav. We are celebrating the long awaited Durga Puja on October 17 and 18, 2015 at Chabot College in Hayward, CA. You are invited to join us.

As usual we have many professional programs lined up for you, as well as some splendid local programs brought to you by hard-working and talented local artists. We have a day of Bollywood artists and another day of Kolkata artists - to make your festival as joyful and rythmic as can be.

And for those who have visited us before, you know the variety of stalls we have at our mandap. The food is simply irresistable and the shopping experience unparalleled.

Papon - Musical Sensation from Bollywood

Saturday, October 17th, 2015

Papon (ANGARAAG MAHANTA) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and one of the most powerful new voices in India. While rooted in folk, Papon has a wide variety of influences and is an extremely versatile artist and a composer.

Papon was born in Assam, India, to a set of brilliant musicians of Assam and was introduced to music and its intricacies at a very early age. His mother ARCHANA MAHANTA and father KHAGEN MAHANTA are two very popular and respected musicians of the region.

Coming from a musically attuned family, Music has always been in his blood. His inspirations came from the wide array of sound that he has been exposed to - from the traditional Folk songs of Eastern India to new-age electronica.

His initial training has been in Indian classical and traditional music (devotional and folk) from Assam. His innovative experiments are rich with ambient electronica, acoustic folk, electro ghazals, new-age, Ind-classical sounds

Coke Studio India Papon has featured on both the seasons of Coke Studio India –as a singer in Season I

In Season II,apart from performing as a singerin Nitin Sawhney's episodehealso has produced one track in the multi producer episode. He is considered the 'Find' of Coke Studio India.

In Coke Studio Season 3 (2013), Papon is a producer of one full episode, composing & producing 6 tracks.

Collaborations Papon's long-standing collaboration with pioneering producers Midival Punditz have led to songs he's co-composed like Har Ek Baat and Naina Laagey finding their way to Bollywood film soundtracks like Soundtrack.

Papon has collaborated with renowned composer-multi instrumentalist Karsh Kale on the track Absence for his fifth studio album Cinema.

With Sushmit Sen (of Indian Ocean) he has collaborated on the track The Voyage on his first solo album Depths of The Ocean.

Papon also has collaborated with percussionist Bickram Ghosh and rising Scottish singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni, over a project called Troikala rooted in contemporary folk and an initiative of The British Council; they've performed across the country and in the UK (South Bank Center) and will soon release an album.

Bollywood Playback Singing Papon has been very selectively contributing to Bollywood playback singing. He has sung tracks likeJiyein Kyun for film Dum Maaro Dum, Kyun from Barfi, Zindagi Aisi Waisi for film I Am Kalam, theme song for Inkaar and also recently Kaun Mera in the film Special Chabbis.

TV Shows Papon featured on the critically acclaimed original TV series The Dewarists – Season Icollaborating with music icon Rabbi Shergill over the track Khule Da Rabb in 2011. Papon was again invited to collaborate with Karsh Kale, Carl Barat from Britain, musician Ross Ainslie from Scotland and Warren Mendonsa from India/ New Zealand for Dewarist Season II in December 2012.

This year Papon also composed the title track/ theme song for the programme MTV Roadies (Season 10)

Papon was featured in Indian Idol Junior this year to encourage a young singer by singing along.

Papon also produced and performed a song with Kartik Das Baul and Anushree for the recent Big Boss Bangla final on ETV Bangla.

Music Albums Papon released his debut Hindi album The Story So Far in 2012 through Times Music. With snug melody lines and balmy vocals that seem to channel the undulating hills of the Eastern part of India - Assam, the album takes you on a journey, conjuring up the calm, peaceful mountainside from where its stories have originated.

Papon has six Assamese albums to his name – two original albums Jonaaki Raat (2004), Sinaki Osinaaki (2009) and four folk albums - Rong Phool (2008), Gomseng (2010), Phoolseng (2011), which are all Bihu albums as well as a Holi album Phagunar Gaan (2010).

Awards "The Story So far" album was released by TIMES Music in Jan 2012 and won the GIMA in the Best POP Album category, 2012. Papon can tackle a motley range of genres as few vocalists from his generation can and "The Story So Far" offers indelible proof of this.

Papon has received two awards at the JD Rock Awards, 2013-'Best Male Vocalist' and 'Best Song' for the feisty folk track Boitha Maro Refrom his acclaimed debut Hindi album 'The Story So Far"

Papon and the East India Company (EIC)

In 2007, Papon formed his folk-fusion band "Papon and The East India Company".

The band's line-up comprises of Papon, Deepu, Jeenti, Sanket, Anowar, Tanmay, Partha and Nikhil"- their names are in the US visa petition.

The band has performed twice at the SAARC Music Band Festival in New Delhi, the Eastwind Festival, the Kovalam Literary Festival, Sutasi in Singapore, the October Fest in Bangalore & Hyderabad, NH7 Weekender in Pune, Bangalore & Delhi, Sulafest – Nashik, MAD Fest Ooty, Windsong – Goa, STORM fest Coorg, Kasauli Rhythm & Blues Festival etc…

Today Papon & The EIC is a much-appreciated band for LIVE performances across all music festivals, public shows and college festivals in India.

Tickets for Non-MembersPapon's program is FREE for members. The best way to see Papon's concert is to become a member. However if you would just like to see Papon's concert, you can contact the box office.

Goutam Halder - A man of theater

Sunday, October 18th, 2015

Goutam Halder was a member of the theatre group Nandikar and performed in plays like 'Sesh Sakkhatkar', 'Football', 'Pheriwalar Mrityu', 'Meghnadbadh Kabyo' and 'Borda'.He is a remarkable director. Among many of his successful direction, 'Sojon Badyiar Ghaat' must be named. 'Meghnad badh kabya' is a completely different genre of theater where Goutam Halder's solo performance is based on music, poetry, movements and dance. Then he started another group named 'Naye Natua' and staged 'Meghnadbadh Kabyo', 'Borda' and 'Jaal'(written by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay) for it.

At Prabasi he will be performing 2 plays:- Borda- Kabye Gaane

Tickets for Non-MembersGoutam Halder's program is FREE for members. The best way to see Goutam Halder's theater is to become a member. However if you would just like to see Goutam Halder's theater, you can .

Sampa Kundu - Aadhunik Gaan

Sunday, October 18th, 2015

Sampa Kundu had done MA(Vocal Music) from Rabindra Bharati University in 1992. She had got her musical training from her father Late Subir Kundu(Disciple of late Tarapada Chakrabarty) and her mother Smt. Bela Kundu. She got her classical training from Sri Amalendu Pal ( Disciple of Ustad Bare Golam Ali Khan) and above all she had learnt light classical and light music from Sri Sukumar Mitra, Smt.Sipra Basu,Sri Anal Chatterjee(Adhunik Bengali Songs), Sri Jotilaswar Mukherjee (Adhunik Songs), Sri Amar Pal ( Folk Song)

Tickets for Non-MembersSampa Kundu's program is FREE for members. The best way to see Sampa Kundu's musical program is to become a member. However if you would just like to see Sampa Kundu's program, you can buy tickets for Sampa Kundu musical concert. You will also find an option to purchase a combined ticket for both Goutam Halder and Sampa Kundu together for Oct 18.

Chirosakha

This Dance drama is an experiment of the Bay Area artists to trace the roots of Bhanusingher Padabali from Geet Govindam.

Bandish

Bandish is a group of passionate singers and musicians from San Fransisco Bay Area, who shares a common goal: revive and rejuvenate the Indian traditional forms and show their charisma to the world.

Team Bandish is an amalgamation of musical talent & experience. Each member boasts of a unique & special expertise, which strengthens & complements the entire team.

In their compositions, Team Bandish tries to maintain the theme & originality of the song in their compositions, while putting forth their own imagination & creativity.

Bandish had their debut performance in 2011 at Prabasi Durga Puja. Since then, they have performed in a number of cultural events & festivals including Durga Puja celebrations across San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento & NABC Las Vegas 2012.

Bandish is all set to perform again at Chabot College Auditorium on 17th of October on the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja organized by Prabasi Bay Area.

Bandish’s repertoire will include a gamut of melodious songs, from classical, traditional to folk. Some of the songs have been traditionally sung for years, but Bandish's musical ensemble will add a new dimension with a touch of Indian classical music.

Hold your breath as team Bandish takes you through a melodious musical journey !